Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over two years ago, as chair of parliament's Foreign Affairs and Aid Sub-Committee, I initiated and led the inquiry into Australia adopting a modern slavery act. I'm proud of the coalition government's willingness not only to enable this inquiry but to then take strong action to introduce what was passed last week as the Modern Slavery Act 2018. I said at the beginning that I didn't want to do an inquiry that just sat on the shelf gathering dust but one that would result in real change and real action. I'm proud of our ability across the chamber to come together in a bipartisan manner to work towards this act and to raise awareness of the crime of modern slavery.

Our final report, Hidden in plain sight, recommended the establishment of the Modern Slavery Act and other measures to tackle the crime of modern slavery in Australia, in our region and beyond. The act is world-leading. It not only requires entities above a threshold of $100 million to report on modern slavery in their supply chains but it also includes government in that reporting, a legislated central repository, a legislated opt-in below that threshold, prescribed reporting requirements and compliance through a requirement to list entities who need to report, those who do report and those who don't report.

I thank those across the chamber for their willingness to work on this inquiry and for bringing about this enormous act, which will make a difference in the lives of so many people in Australia, across our region and around the world.